


Drown

by Efaya



Category: Naruto
Genre: Action, Action & Romance, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Children, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, First Time, Gratuitous Smut, Happy Ending, Kidnapping, Love, Missing Persons, Missing in Action, Mystery, Oral Sex, Original Character(s), Post-Fourth Shinobi War, Post-War, Pregnancy, Protective Uchiha Sasuke, Redemption, Rescue Missions, Revenge, Romance, Sex, Sexual Content, Shameless Smut, Smut, Strong Haruno Sakura, Travel, True Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-01-29 20:08:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21415930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Efaya/pseuds/Efaya
Summary: Sasuke and Sakura had completed numerous missions along the way during their travels, and this was supposed to just be another one. It started off as a simple mission: locate the missing children and retrieve if possible. When things go awry and Sasuke is left to battle his own demons while fixing this mess, he keeps her, and their child, in his thoughts.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Comments: 9
Kudos: 132





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I thought I would give you guys a tidbit until I have more of this written up. I’ve been writing this non-sequentially so it’s going to be a minute until I can post the full first chapter. I’ve been writing the beginning as well as the middle so I can get more done when I feel inspired. It’s obviously going to be multi-chapter so also keep a lookout on my AO3 for updates. It’s easier to post multi-chap stuff there. As far as naming of this story, it comes from a Bring Me the Horizon song (if anyone cares to know).
> 
> _Who will make me fight? / Drag me out alive? / Save me from myself? / Don’t let me drown. / ‘Cause you know that I can’t do this on my own /_

. . . 

_Sasuke and Sakura,_

_Thank you for investigating that situation in Suna. Gaara was very pleased with the results of the investigation and sends his regards. He also praises the work Sakura has done with the clinic and how positive it has been for the children in its care. _

_I know this is so soon, but I've received word of an incident in the Land of Waves. The Mizukage has approved me sending in a team to investigate these apparent kidnappings of children from one of the outlying towns. Not much is known, but at least a couple dozen children are reported missing and their shinobi have been unsuccessful in locating their whereabouts. I’ve included coordinates of the village for you to travel to._

_The Mizukage is trying to keep this under the radar to prevent people from panicking, but there is a real chance someone has already killed these children. There has been no reliable intel on their whereabouts, which has been the most alarming part of this situation. I feel that with Sasuke’s visual prowess, and knowledge of time-space, you two might be able to figure out what is really happening here. Figure out what happened to these missing children, and if it’s possible, commence with retrieval. Report back if retrieval is possible or not, and we will weigh our options from there._

_Best of luck you two._  
Kakashi  



	2. It Comes in Waves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Sasuke-kun, I-I really don’t know what to say…” Sakura looked away, too embarrassed to maintain eye contact, but was only dragged back as Sasuke lightly tugged at her cheek. There was a shimmer to her green orbs, bouncing off the light of the small inn room. “I love you… Anata.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finals week is a hell week, but I took a break to finally post the first chapter of this fic. I had most of it written for a long time, but had not quite finished it the way I wanted. I have much more of the middle of this story written than anything, so it should be easier from now on for me to write this fic. I hope you enjoy <3
> 
> _It comes in waves, I close my eyes _  
_Hold my breath and let it bury me _

. . . 

It was a beautiful afternoon. The trees ruffled in the cooling breeze, a welcome reprieve from the intense heat they had dealt with over the course of a few weeks. They had just returned back into the Fire Country after a lengthy mission within the confines of the Sunakagure, and were ready to see a different terrain. Sakura peacefully hummed along as the two of them made their way through the wooded region, few sounds penetrating the quiet forest. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but he enjoyed the constant tune she murmured as they walked. It seemed familiar to his ears, but couldn’t place the source of it in his memory. His thoughts returned to their walk as Sakura stretched her arms out while they strolled.

“I’m so happy to be out of that heat!” she smiled, enjoying the climate of their home region. Sasuke nodded, his layers of clothing a bit too warm for Suna.

The distant cawing of crows called his attention, noticing the sun was starting to set as they finally made it back within the borders of Fire Country. His eyes turned to the petite shinobi walking by his side. Sakura’s hair had grown out a little since they left the village only a couple of months back, reaching down between her shoulder blades, bouncing with every step she took. She was wonderful to have as a travelling companion - strong, resourceful, and very smart. Recently, the confusion of _what_ they really were to each other started to clear up.

“Sakura, let’s find a place to stay,” Sasuke pulled out a small map to see what towns were nearby. “There’s a place not far that has a nice inn we could use.”

Sakura’s cheeks flushed, thoughts falling to other places when he spoke of settling down for the evening - especially at an inn. Sasuke stopped walking, Sakura stopping as well, him moving slightly closer to lay a gentle hand on her cheek. Her green eyes shone under the setting sun, a sight he would never grow tired of, as his fingers stroked her cheek. She was full of anticipation, a small bite of her lower lip, uneasiness in her stance, and eyes that widened when his face moved closer to hers.

As she leaned in to meet his lips, his fingers slipped up to place a gentle poke on her forehead. Startled, Sakura immediately backed up, her hand caressing her forehead where her diamond lay, with a pout set firmly on her lips. Sasuke chuckled, enjoying the flustered expression she adorned whenever Sakura was embarrassed. 

“Sasuke-kun, you’re so mean…” she didn’t really mean it, and Sasuke knew that. He enjoyed teasing her every chance he had.

“Ah, later,” his words were a promise, one she knew well. Sasuke was always good at delivering on those kinds of promises. 

The past few weeks brought them much closer together, and very quickly. Sasuke spent time contemplating, atoning, and felt ready to accept his life with someone else. Sakura had been the most understanding person in the world to travel with. She never asked much of him, accepting his little quirks here or there with little to no fuss. It was also very helpful that she had taken her time to teach him some medical ninjutsu as they made their way across the shinobi world. There was a definite learning curve with the level of precision associated with medical jutsu, but he knew he was picking up some basics of it. Sakura was the most patient teacher he could have asked for.

It hadn’t been very long since they first made that major step in their relationship at a small inn in Amekagure. The whole experience was so new, so intimate, and Sasuke silently burned at the thought of that evening.

. . . 

_  
“Eh?! There’s only one bed?” Sakura was taken aback, not wanting to believe the words of the older woman who ran the inn. The woman seemed a little confused by the remark._

_“It’s meant for couples anyways, what seems to be the problem?”_

_Sakura was flustered beyond belief, waving her arms in front of her face defensively as Sasuke rolled his eyes. He was enjoying Sakura’s dilemma, albeit silently from her side. The older woman’s eyes moved between the two shinobi, before giving a gentle smile._

_“Youth is such a beautiful thing,” she reached behind herself to grab a small set of keys and pointed to a hallway with her other hand. “Here you are sir. If you need anything brought to your room, please let me know.”_

_Sasuke took the keys, nodding before walking in the direction of the rooms. Sakura quickly caught up behind him, cheeks still pink and breathing still a little off. “Sasuke-kun… are you sure this is okay?”_

_They stopped in front of a door, number matching the key ring he was given, a smirk crossing his face. He was enjoying this too much. “I’m surprised you’re so against this, Sakura.”_

_She pouted, sticking her lower lip out a little more than normal, almost begging him to kiss her sweet mouth. “You know what I mean…”_

_When he unlocked the door, they were greeted by a neatly made futon laying in the middle of the small room next to a screen door that opened to the outside. As they walked in, Sasuke noted the minimal decorations aside from a vase of flowers sitting on a table in the corner of the room. The pink flowers were something he knew Sakura liked. There was a side door that led to the bathroom, stocked with the basics they would need for a short stay. Sakura wandered to the screen door, sitting on some cushions after she partially opened it._

_The rain was constant in Ame, the sound welcoming to the two tired shinobi. They had travelled for days out in the forests, and the rain could be quite chilling. Sasuke had visited this inn before, and the innkeeper remembered judging from her knowing smile at him. Sakura relaxed next to the screen, leaning against the wall with a small smile coating her face. He could tell she was happy to have a nice place to rest. He walked over to her, removing his cloak on a coat rack before sitting down next to his companion. Sakura looked to him, her green eyes always enchanting and drawing him in._

_He leaned forward, his lips gently touching her own as they sat next to the open door. His hand moved upwards, cupping the side of her cheek while they deepened the kiss, tongues sensually grazing against one another. When he pulled away, his hand remaining on her warm face, her eyes shone in the low light of the rainy evening. Her own hand moved up to his chest, keeping contact with him as much as she could in their private space. There was an unspoken question hanging over them as they stayed silent._

_Is tonight the night we…?_

_Sakura was the one to move forward this time, her lips planting on his own, tugging at his lower lip with a sharp point of her teeth. A small moan escaped her lips when Sasuke slipped his tongue inside her mouth once more. Her hands had now moved up, one fisted in his raven hair, and another firmly resting between his neck and shoulder. He moved his own hand to pull her in closer, their bodies as close as they could be with their clothing still on. _

_Sasuke turned, keeping their kiss, but now facing Sakura as her back was to the wall. One of his knees was on the outer side of her thigh while the other was pushing in between them, keeping him firmly planted in front of Sakura. She relinquished control, allowing Sasuke to drag his hand along her curves as they were fully enveloped with one another against the cool inn wall._

_Sasuke moved back, his breathing heavy, as was hers, their eyes matching one another with anticipation, need heavy in the air. They had never gone past exploring their bodies, and it seemed like something more was going to happen tonight as Sakura moved to take her black belt off that held her qipao in place. Sasuke took the material away as she handed it to him, moving next to pull the entire red garment off. When she discarded it, also removing her arm and knee bracers, she was left in her black bra and black shorts. _

_He took a long look at her form, as beautiful as ever in his eyes. His hand worked its way to her breasts, moving over her bra and gently massaging her breasts through the thin fabric. Small moans escaped her lips, her eyes closing as she enjoyed the pleasure of his slow, deliberate movements. His lips moved to her neck, littering kisses down her neck to her cleavage where his hand explored. Sakura’s back arched, her breasts moving closer to him, his body so close to the warm heat she exuded. Her breathing became more ragged as he slipped his fingers under the thin material blocking him from her sensitive peaks. Green eyes shot open to meet his onyx orbs that loved watching the faces she made as she melted in his grasp._

_When he pulled away, she seemed disappointed until he moved to remove his belt, along with the black long sleeve shirt covering his torso. Once he shrugged the fabric off and over his head, Sakura’s face reddened as she looked over his sculpted body, admiring the lines of his muscles and small scars riddling his body from years of fighting. She knew she was staring, her eyes moving up to meet his own with her slightly parted lips inviting him to possess them once more. He leaned in, their mouths enraptured in one another, her arms encircling his bare torso while his hand made work of her black bra. After fumbling for a few seconds, he was able to unclasp the annoying piece of fabric, flinging it to the side where their other clothes rested. _

_Once they broke the heated kiss, Sasuke couldn't help but smile as he admired Sakura's beauty. Her milky skin held blushes over her face and her soft breasts. His hand moved to one of the little peaks, kneading it with his calloused palm to her delight, moans falling from her lips her with every stroke of his fingers. Times like this he wished her opted for the replacement hand, but instead moved his mouth to the untouched breast, gently sucking on the nub. Her hands moved through his hair, searching for something to grab as his fingers and mouth tormented the sensitive skin of her breasts. Her breathing was reduced to pants as Sasuke moved his hand down to her shorts, moaning and encouraging him to explore more of her body._

_When his hand slid over her clothed sex, she was at his mercy. Sakura writhed under his touch, squirming as he let his palm stroke up and down her most private area, the fabric of her shorts and panties rubbing against her sensitive clit. It was becoming too much as her body demanded more, her moans increasing in volume as Sasuke stroked her faster. She could feel something building, something deep in her core threatening to unravel as his palm moved to ensure her core was sufficiently pleased. When his hand slowed, she nearly cried out from the loss of her impending orgasm. Sakura needed more._

_Sasuke knew she was burning under his touch, aching for him, as her body curved against his with every slow brush of his palm. When he stilled, her cries turned to pain as she wanted more of his touch. He leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on her forehead, eyes meeting and sharing a moment of extreme closeness. Sasuke moved to his pants, unbuttoning them and pulling them down with uncertainty in his eyes._

_"Sakura, are you okay…? We can stop if you're not ready…" his careful questions were met with her wanton need, her hand moving to the soft skin of his dick, where she could feel the hardness of the very erect member._

_"Sasuke-kun, please… I need you…" she breathed out. A slither of need rushed up his spine, her words striking him very deep in his core. As his eyes laid over her he could see the small beads of sweat falling down her fair skin, the red tint her skin held from her intense emotions, even the small haze in her green eyes as she wanted more from him. She moved her arms to slide her shorts completely off, along with her panties, wiggling the rest of her bra off in a small shuffle._

_Sasuke moved, gently pulling Sakura with him off the floor. Without speaking, he pulled the futon open from the wall, letting it roll across the back space next to the open screen door. All the while, the rain kept pattering off of rocks and plants just steps away from them. The rain was constant, keeping the moment from becoming too embarrassing for Sakura, as her eyes glanced to the downpour outside. It was soothing, somber, the kind of weather that always reminded her of Sasuke when he was out on his journey. _

_Making his way to the floor, leaning on his side, Sasuke reached a hand out to his lover, pulling Sakura down next to him in one swoop. He quickly leaned in for a kiss, keeping her as close to his warm, naked, form as he could. Her lips were soft, welcoming, something he could never see himself growing tired of as their limbs tangled together on top of the plush futon. Between the light moans, myriad of kisses gracing their skin, their lust was at an all time high. Moving to hover over her, Sasuke let his forehead touch hers, one arm keeping his body above her aching body._

_His hair fell down along her face, the soft strands grazing her heated skin, onyx meeting green in their intimate moment. No words were said, their eyes alone enough to communicate their feelings when they were alone. Their breathing was in sync with one another, and they were both more than ready to make that final push in their relationship. Sakura saw the obvious limitation since Sasuke was using his one arm to keep himself hovering over her, so she took it upon herself to reach down, her hand gently grasping his shaft, angling it to its destination. His hips leaned forward, the tip meeting resistance from her body even as she felt just how drenched she was from her arousal. _

_Sasuke pushed, breaching her velvet folds and slowly sinking into the warmth of her sex. Sakura couldn’t contain it, a loud moan escaping her mouth before she had a chance to catch herself. Sasuke leaned closer, now propped up on his elbow, his eyes carefully tracing the features on his lover’s sweet face. Before he gave her a chance to speak, his lips captured hers again, tongues sliding against one another as his member sat inside her. Her mind was scattered, lost as all of her sensations were focused on Sasuke. The fullness resting inside her pussy was skating the thin line of pain and pleasure as she could barely stand how intense it was. _

_The second he tried to move within her, her back arched, breasts pushing against his chest as her lips brushed aside his and released a long groan. He wasn’t spared from the torment, sweat dripping from his brow at the strain of trying to contain himself when he could feel such intense pleasure from just the slow movement he could manage inside her tight depths. It was sweet agony. He watched the way her face contorted as his hips slid back. Her lips pursuing together as she felt his very hard shift slide along her sheath. Her green eyes were barely alert as they struggled to focus on Sasuke's face. Everything was difficult for her in that state, but she could see something very different in his gate. The easily identifiable red eye of his Sharingan had flared to life, taking in every movement they made and storing it into his memory. She felt almost more embarrassed at the thought of Sasuke having access to this view whenever he wanted._

_When he nearly completely withdrew from her, he quickly slammed his hips forward, filling her sweet depths in one swift movement._

_"AH! Sasuke-kun!"_

_Her words lingered in his ears as he continued to move his hips, letting his dick plunge drop into her core with every thrust. Her words became loud, heavy, panting as he began to hammer into her at an unrelenting pace. Her could feel his upcoming orgasm start to build with every powerful thrust into Sakura. He was struggling to bite back an uncharacteristic moan as he continued plunging in and out of her tight pussy._

_"F-fuck… Sakura… Shit…" his words turned to sexually frustrated pleas. "Sakura I can't hold on… much longer. Fuck!"_

_He hissed, slowing his thrusts to keep himself from coming before her. While he struggled to maintain himself, Sakura reached down to her swollen clit, rubbing against the nub as fast as she could in a frantic frenzy to orgasm. When she finally reached hers, his dick was nearly suffocated by the intense clenching of her muscles around his dick. _

_"S-Sasuke-kun!"_

_As her pussy quivered, he let out his last few thrusts for her to milk every drop of his seed. He hissed through his orgasm, the pleasure rocking his body in waves, along with the fading of his sole red eye back to it's natural onyx hue.. Realizing the exhaustion setting in, he dropped down, withdrawing his dick slowly, before laying next to the flustered pinkette._

_The rain accompanied their silence, each drop cascading through the sky towards it's intended destination. Each drop reaching higher and higher speeds before reaching their end in one ferocious landing. There was no better metaphor for their act than the very rain that fell on unforgettable evening. Hands interlocked and bodies spent, the two shinobi laid side by side while the reason continued._  
  


. . . 

"This looks nice. Nicer than what I was expecting, to be honest."

Sakura's remarks broke him free of his recollection, somehow blanking out their conversation and missing their arrival to the small inn. It was how Sasuke remembered it, simple but had all the amenities he thought Sakura would like. They spent a lot of time outside in the wilderness, but nothing beat a night to relax. _Amongst other things._ When they moved through the small entryway, a young woman greeted them, a small blush gracing her cheeks when her eyes glanced at Sasuke.

He knew Sakura noticed, her hand touching his as they stood at the counter. Before he could say anything, she spoke up instead.

“One room please, for the two of us,” her words were sharp, not particularly angry but straight to the point. The young woman quickly looked down to grab a key for them, her eyes never returning to Sasuke. After some small talk, they had their key in hand for their room. Sasuke watched her unlock the door, throwing her bag onto the floor in the sitting area.

“I need a bath… Suna was great but I miss a nice long dip after a rough day,” she smiled as she sat down on the floor cushions. Sasuke placed his own bag next to hers, sitting next to her at the small table.

His eyes looked over her carefully. 

“Are you jealous?” he curiously asked, sliding his cloak off. Sakura’s eyes widened, but not becoming alarmed by the question.

“Well, not particularly. I think,” she gently smiled, hand resting on his thigh, “that you have made it clear where we stand, Sasuke-kun.”

A pink blush covered the apples of her cheeks, along with a small, welcoming smile. Sasuke gave a small smile in return, her presence calming for him. He let his fingers move to her face, touching her heated cheeks. His onyx eyes lingered on hers for a few seconds before speaking.

“Tsuma.”

Sakura’s face reddened at the word, lips parting upon hearing it leave his mouth. She wasn’t sure what to say. Sasuke felt like he was in very unfamiliar territory as the single term lingered in the air surrounding them. He had heard his father speak it to his own mother when they were in private, only whispers of it carried to his ears as he was a young child wandering around his family’s home.

“I know we haven’t done anything formal like Naruto, but you’re the one for me, Sakura.” 

Maybe it was the fact they had spent all their time with one another recently, but Sasuke no longer found the words hard to say. The walls he had put up in the name of gaining power were slowing breaking down, piece by piece. He could see a small glimpse of a future with her, as his wife, a child.

_Our child._

“Sasuke-kun, I-I really don’t know what to say…” Sakura looked away, too embarrassed to maintain eye contact, but was only dragged back as Sasuke lightly tugged at her cheek. There was a shimmer to her green orbs, bouncing off the light of the small inn room. “I love you… Anata.”

After a moment of shared silence, they moved closer and shared a chaste kiss. When their lips separated, Sasuke removed his hand and leaned against the pinkette, the side of his head resting comfortably on her breasts. She let her fingers twirl in his feathery, raven hair. In an unorthodox way, they had exchanged their vows with one another, in private as they tended to be. Sasuke turned his head to speak, still remaining comfortably against Sakura.

“And I love you, tsuma. Would you like to share a bath?”

She nodded, “of course, anata.”

. . . 

The evening breeze was calm, cool, comfortable, as the Uchiha sat on the back porch of the inn room. A noise in the distance called his attention, soon accompanied by a hawk flying into his view. When the bird landed on his shoulder, he reached for the small tube attached to its leg. Sasuke pulled a note out of the tube, unfurling it to see a message from Kakashi. After skimming its contents, his eyes widened at the words Kakashi had written on the small piece of paper. He could hear rustling from behind the door, knowing it was the kunoichi resting in the other room, likely rolling around in their futon. Something deep in the pit of his stomach dropped as he finished the letter.

He didn’t like the sound of Kakashi’s request.

Not at all.

. . . 


	3. Hold my breath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The words were a whisper, softly spoken from her pink pout. As the second word left her mouth, the world went silent around Sasuke. He could hear his heartbeat in his chest, the only thing keeping him anchored to reality. Quickly sitting up, still facing Sakura, he knew his mouth was slightly agape, frozen from her revelation. Not knowing what to do, the pinkette also sat up to face her raven-haired lover._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see <3 I took a little bit of a break from everything during winter break, but school has just started back... so that means writing breaks are back. I was stuck in a really bad writer's block with this story, but was able to finally get it back on track. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! It is more plot oriented than smut, but there still is some so you're not completely left without ;)
> 
> __  
_Hold my breath and let it bury me_  
_I'm not OK and it's not all right_  


. . .

At some point, Sasuke fell asleep after reading the letter, despite his thoughts constantly agonizing over it through the evening. He sat up, trying his best to pry open his eyes as his body ached for some more sleep. They finally opened after hearing a familiar sound from the other room.  _ Sakura’s awake. _ Slowly shifting the covers off of his body, he grabbed his shorts from the floor, pulling them on before greeting the pinkette who sat at the table with a cup of tea. She noticed him walk in, a soft smile on her face while she scoot over to make room for him.

“Good morning Sasuke-kun,” she softly spoke, a small giggle to herself as she took in the tired man who plopped down next to her. “You seem a little slow to move this morning.”

He blinked. “Hn.” It was all he murmured before pouring himself a cup of green tea from the ceramic kettle on the table. Sakura remained quiet, drinking her hot beverage while rearranging her medical bag. Something was clearly on her mind with how she sat at the table, methodically organizing her equipment and humming to herself. It was something she did when she was trying to work out a scenario in her head. Ironically, he had something of his own to address. Thankfully, Sasuke started to wake up after a few sips of the welcoming hot tea.

“Tsuma.” That instantly caught Sakura’s attention. “We got a letter from Kakashi last night while you were asleep.”

“Oh?” She placed her tools down, surprise clear in her face.

Sasuke stood, retrieved the letter from the other room, before sitting back down next to his pinkette.

“What does it say, Sasuke-kun?” Sakura leaned over, trying to see what new mission Kakashi had for them. She learned quickly that the Hokage’s letters were rarely just to say ‘hi.’ Sasuke’s brow was deeply furrowed, seriousness abound in his careful gaze. It was a little worrying to Sakura, but she wondered if,  _ maybe _ , Sasuke was overthinking something. 

“It’s Kakashi, and he wants us to investigate something in the Land of Waves,” Sasuke seemed rather worried about the letter, more so than a normal mission in the Land of Waves would cause, and there was an unspoken concern in his words that he was not fully addressing. “There’s a small village where children keep disappearing, but no shinobi of their own can figure out where they are going.”

Sakura gulped. She realized then why Sasuke seemed so serious about this,  _ it concerned children. _ She learned in recent weeks that this was a sore spot for him. When they were in Suna, she caught glimpses of his interactions with children, wondering what it would be like to see him with their own child. A nagging voice wanted to raise alarms in her head, but she decided that was for another time.  _ He already seems a little worried about this. _

“We don’t have to do this.”

Sakura raised a brow at that uncharacteristic remark.

“We should though. We’re close by and could really help with this situation. It’s just as Kakashi-sensei says, with your eyes we could really figure out the root of this problem…” Sakura stopped speaking when she saw the frown covering Sasuke’s face. He wasn’t exactly happy with her explanation, but wasn’t verbalizing it.

“Sasuke, do  _ you  _ not want to do this mission? We’re still shinobi, after all.” She narrowed her eyes at him, moving her arms away from her medical kit, tapping a finger on the table. They almost never argued, but his reluctance to express himself was sometimes a sticking point for their relationship. He took a few seconds to speak.

“I just think… we should think about it before charging in,” he spoke with a calm exterior, but Sakura knew he was pushing away some worries that lingered in his mind. He was even more cautious when it came to her, than she was of herself. 

Sakura frowned, crossing her arms as she leaned back in her seat.

“Are you underestimating me, Sasuke?”

He flinched, the tone of her voice combined with the lack of her normal suffix for his name was a warning,  _ one not to mess with her. _ Over the past few months, he had learned what that tone meant, and he didn’t want to argue after such a lovely evening the night before. Against all of his instincts screaming at him, he sighed and relented to her will.

“No, I’m not. We can do this,” he stood up from the table, grabbing his cloak hanging on the closest wall hook. “We should move out this morning. We’re not too far, but it’s still a bit of a distance to travel.”

She nodded, moving to grab her pouches from the other room, but was quickly cut off by an arm blocking her path. Her eyes travelled up to Sasuke’s mismatched orbs carefully watching her movements. Sakura sighed, moving in to embrace the quiet man. His body radiated an earthy aroma, teakwood mixing with pine, and she  _ loved _ it. She let her face linger on his chest, his arm moving to embrace her. Sasuke was silent with most of his displays of affection, and very private. Her heart warmed knowing that he reserved these actions for her. 

They lingered for a few seconds before he let go of her, Sakura moving back to lock eyes with her love. She smiled, that warm smile always pulling at Sasuke’s heart whenever he saw it. They resumed gathering their belongings, before heading out into the fresh morning dew.

. . .

When they stepped into the outer bounds of their target village, they could feel something ominous radiating from the center of the small town. It was quiet, disturbingly so, as their footsteps were the only sound to accompany them into what appeared to be the main street of the village. Sasuke looked across the scene, his eyes landing on a small inn off to the side that had its doors set open. After exchanging a quick glance between the two shinobi, they made their way to the open doorway, eager for answers.

As Sasuke brushed the curtain aside, they were greeted by a young woman wiping off the bar counter. She turned, surprise easy to see on her face, red eyes wide and black hair carefully tied into a bun atop her head. The woman brushed some dust off of her apron before giving her guests a small, welcoming smile.

“Welcome to the Shizuka inn. How can I help you?” The woman’s voice was quiet, just enough for them to hear her as they made their way inside of the small bar area. Sakura noticed the distinct silence that permeated the village as soon as they had stepped inside its borders. Sasuke was also very aware of it, and just how unusual it was compared to his experiences traveling.

“We were sent here on an official Leaf business.” Sasuke paused noticing the woman freeze up as he mentioned the Leaf. “Our understanding is that there was an incident of missing children from this village?”

The woman’s smile all but disappeared at Sasuke’s question.

“Yes, there has been. It’s been an ongoing issue, but no one has figured it out…” the woman’s gaze dropped to the ground. “There’s barely any children left, and the wealthier families were able to leave for another town.”

The young woman gestured the two shinobi to sit at a table near the bar, seating herself down with them. “I know of a few kids who are still around, but their parents are keeping them hidden, and rightfully so. It’s all so scary.”

Sakura felt the pain in her words, her eyes shifting to Sasuke who seemed to be thinking over the scenario. She decided to chime in, reached a hand out to hold the woman’s hand who sat with them. “We’ll figure this out, don’t worry about that. If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your name?”

The girl’s eyes widened and cheeks flushed at the realization. “Oh my gods! I’m sorry, my name is Ichigo. I’m one of the workers here. This is my grandmother’s inn.”

Sakura smiled, “There’s no need to apologize. My name is Sakura and this is Sasuke.” She pointed to her counterpart who nodded. “We’re here to help so don’t worry too much about formalities. Is there anyone we could speak to in charge of this town about this?”

Ichigo shook her head. “Unfortunately no. The leader of our village left with his children. They didn’t want to risk losing them and had the money to leave. There’s not a whole lot of us left, so people have been coming to my grandma for guidance. She’s the oldest in town.”

Sakura’s eyes widened, anger threatening to flare, as Sasuke was silently seething, effectively pissed off, at that piece of news.  _ Fucking coward.  _ He sighed, leaning his one arm on the table. Ichigo couldn’t stifle the blush that came over her face as she took a good look at Sasuke. It was a normal occurrence at this point, but it wasn’t as annoying as he once thought it to be. “Can you describe what has been happening in detail? The more you can tell us the better.”

Reluctantly, Ichigo slowly nodded as she began her story. “It started maybe a month or two ago. This strange man showed up out of nowhere, no one had seen him before, and asked for shelter and some food. Grandma said she felt bad for how hurt and hungry he looked and set him up with a free room and meals. Well… he started to feel better after a couple of days, and then things got weird…”

Sasuke’s eyebrows raised. “Weird?”

“Yeah… He seemed to grow more incoherent as he got better. His skin got paler all of a sudden, and he spoke in weird strings of words that didn’t really make any sense. Then he said something about power, I think? Like he asked us about power, and we answered back thinking he meant like lights and fire. He actually meant like chakra, ninja stuff.” Ichigo seemed really uncomfortable, but Sakura’s fingers gave a reassuring rub of the woman’s hand. Sasuke looked at his companion, nodding at their interaction and Ichigo’s words.

She took a big gulp. “While we offered him dinner one night, he jumped up and tried to grab one of the kids who were visiting with their family… One of the men in this room dragged him off of the kid, but then he bolted out the door. He shows up a few days later in the middle of the village and uses some weird spell or ninja thing, I really don’t know what, but it makes the kids nearby ignore their parents and wander straight to him. Some of the village men tried to fight him off, but he easily threw them away and vanished with the kids… And then he came back twice… Even local shinobi couldn’t fight him. He didn’t seem bothered by  _ anything _ during it all.”

“You said he just vanished?” Sasuke asked, eyes fixed on Ichigo. 

She nodded. “Yes… like he was never even here, and the kids...”

Sakura didn’t know what to say, noticing the tears in the corners of Ichigo’s eyes start to fall. It was painful to watch. This girl had been all smiles until they discussed the village. She seemed to  _ really _ care. The pinkette looked to Sasuke, wondering what their next move would be. She had some ideas of her own.

“What do we do Sasuke-kun?” Sakura waited for a response, the Uchiha’s eyes turning to his companion’s.

“My first guess is some type of genjutsu. We’ll need to draw him out.”

Sakura nodded, “I figured as much.”

Ichigo looked panicked. “But what if he gets the rest of the kids? There’s only a handful left in the village, and I don’t know if the remaining residents could take that…”

Offering a soft smile, Sakura tried to reassure Ichigo, “Have a little faith in us. We will help you.”

Despite the heartache that pulled at the young woman, Ichigo nodded.

“I am truly grateful for you two coming to our small village to help. Local shinobi tried to help us, but didn’t make any progress on this and more children were stolen from us.” She paused, gesturing to the stairs in the corner. “The least I can do is offer you both a place to stay while you are in the village. Grandma is not feeling well, but I know it’s what she would want.”

“Thank you,” Sakura spoke up, thanking her for both of them. Sasuke clearly had something running through his brain with how his eyes searched around the room. He was everywhere inside his thoughts for now. They retreated up the stairs in the corner, directed by Ichigo to the first room on the right. After wishing them a good night, the young inn worker left them alone for the night.

. . .

Sakura eyed the Uchiha who made his way to the kotatsu in the middle of the initial area of the room. Removing his cloak and setting his things aside, he sat with his legs under the warm table before looking up at his companion. “Hn?” Sasuke ushered her to sit next to him, the pinkette joining him after setting her things down.

“This sounds like a bigger mess than Kakashi-sensei led on…” Sakura sighed, leaning forward with her elbows firmly planted on the table. “You seemed pretty focused while Ichigo explained what was going on?”

Sasuke nodded. “There’s something more than just a rogue shinobi happening here. My first thought with the disappearing and reappearing detail, was possibly a Otsutsuki is involved.”

A grim line set on Sakura’s face with a nod. She knew what that entailed, and that wasn’t something she was hoping to encounter again any time soon. “They are going to show up again if he wants the rest of the kids in this village. But why even take them?”

Sasuke’s eyes hovered from the clock on the wall to his companion’s. “She said he mentioned ‘power.’ Is he using them for some type of chakra source? Though, that wouldn’t require him to take the kids away.”

“What if he’s using them to generate chakra? That would require him to keep the kids and… use them.” Sakura shivered. They weren’t sure what to expect but if it was someone who was willing to take kids away, then there was no telling what this individual was capable of.

She sighed. “I’m going to make some tea. Would you like some, anata?” Sasuke’s ears perked up at the endearment.

“That would be nice. Thank you,” he murmured as his eyes looked over her. These moments between missions - the quaint, everyday interactions they had with one another was something he cherished - immensely. It wasn’t too long ago when he thought none of this would be possible. 

_ I really don’t deserve this. _

Sakura left the space to make some tea in the kitchenette, leaving the Uchiha by himself at the kotatsu. Many things ran through his head -  _ Could this really be an Otsutsuki? Are they traversing dimensions like Kaguya?  _ Sasuke rolled his eyes.  _ I don’t know what Kakashi was thinking, giving this to us, but Sakura was right. A mission is a mission. I still… _

Sakura returned with two small cups and a ceramic kettle, steam floating out the spout into the cool air, a smile from ear to ear. “Tea’s ready!”

_ I don’t want to lose this. _

_ I can’t lose this. _

. . .

Something wasn’t right. 

Sakura had woken up early, before Sasuke, making her way into the small bathroom adjacent to their room. Her dreams had been strange, filled with things that she wasn’t sure what they meant. Unable to shake this odd, unnerving feeling, she waved her hands over her stomach, a green glow coating her abdomen. She slowly slid her hands around for a few seconds, searching for the source of her uneasiness when…

_ Oh. _

_ OH! _

Sakura’s hands fell, her face flustered as she stared into the bathroom mirror. Minutes ticked by as she let her eyes glaze over in her own reflection. Everything seemed so... surreal. The normally quick and astute Haruno,  _ no... Uchiha _ , was awestruck, no words falling out of her mouth as she stood silently in the bathroom. They hadn’t really discussed this as a couple yet, they still felt rather new to their relationship, but not at all at the same time. She took a few deep breaths, threw some water on her face, and returned to the bed where Sasuke laid resting.

As she slid her way comfortably into their bed, an arm snaked its way around her abdomen. Sasuke was very warm, radiating heat as as he curled against her. His face slid closer to the back of her head until she felt the cool touch of his tongue run along the side of her ear. Sakura shivered, her body unable to resist his advances as his arm moved upward near her breasts. Offering her a rough squeeze, she couldn’t hold in the moan that fell out of her mouth.

“Mmmm Sakura…” his voice was raspy, breath hot, as he spoke next to her ear. The shiver that slid up her frame was very noticeable. “Up so late?”

Sasuke didn’t sound completely awake, and his rough touch let her know that he wasn’t 100% in control of his movements. She had no complaints as his calloused hand ran along the smooth skin of her breasts. Her body squirmed before being pinned down, and now covered by her husband’s muscular form. His onyx eye was hazy, barely awake as he stared at the pinkette pinned under him. She knew that she could easily push him off at any moment, but why would she? The way his eyes stared at her, addressing all of her features with a hint of lust behind them was intoxicating.

He moved forward, pressing his lips against hers forcefully, pushing his tongue to meet and twist alongside hers in a deep kiss. Her face was heated, eyes barely able to stay open amongst his actions, moans gladly escaping her mouth. Sakura could feel the intensity in their kiss, the familiar sensation warming her core as their skin slid against one another. Her breasts were pushed against his chest, Sasuke keeping himself propped up with what remained of his left arm. She only noticed where Sasuke’s right hand was when it reached its destination, palm cupping her sex, and fingers curling upward into her folds. 

“Ah! S-Sasuke!” Her words were quickly devolving to breathy pants under his touch. He didn’t miss a beat, speeding up the rhythm of his fingers as her sounds grew louder. Even half asleep, Sasuke devoted plenty of attention to pleasing his loving wife. Sakura could feel her insides twisting in knots, eager to find release as his rough palm slid against her clit with every plunge of his digits. When moved in to nibble on her ear, she lost it, climax hitting hard and fast as she writhed under his touch. 

“Sasuke!” She screamed out his name as she felt the waves of her ecstasy roll through her body, continuing until they calmed down enough for her to breathe normally again. Seeming pleased with his work, Sasuke smiled, hand retreating from Sakura, moving to lean on his side, and opting to pull her closer to his body. Her mind was slowly coming back, thinking of her earlier discovery.

“Anata, are you awake?” She whispered, not sure if he fell back asleep or not after satisfying her.

“Hn?” She giggled to herself, looking at his closed eyes, raven hair falling in his face as they laid on their sides. 

She wasn’t quite sure how to say it.

“Sasuke-kun, I have something to tell you.” Sakura was struggling a little to find the words to say, becoming more nervous as his mis-matched eyes opened to stare into hers. 

“What’s wrong, tsuma?” He seemed more concerned than anything, pulling away slightly to get a better look of her face. 

“Nothing’s wrong! I just… ummm…”  _ Why is this so hard to say? _

Sasuke pulled his arm back, letting his hand sweep her pink locks from the petite face that seemed troubled to him.  _ Is she having second thoughts about the mission now? I’m surprised, but… _

“I’m pregnant…”

The words were a whisper, softly spoken from her pink pout. As the second word left her mouth, the world went silent around Sasuke. He could hear his heartbeat in his chest, the only thing keeping him anchored to reality. Quickly sitting up, still facing Sakura, he knew his mouth was slightly agape, frozen from her revelation. Not knowing what to do, the pinkette also sat up to face her raven-haired lover.

“Our child…?” Those were the only words that could leave Sasuke’s lips.  _ My child. Our child. We are going to have a child together. An Uchiha. _

“Yes… Are you okay anata?” 

“Yes, I… I just don’t know what to say.” His mind was playing catch up as he spoke. “I’m so happy, tsuma.”

Sakura felt a strong rush of pink cover her face. A goofy grin covered her features, relief pouring from her body, a few tears escaping.

“Sasuke, I’m so happy. I… I love you.”

He pulled her in for a tight hug.

“I love you too.”

. . .

_ Even though his dreams were filled with a happy beaming child, following his steps through the Leaf with a grin coating their face, worry was breaking apart his peaceful thoughts. As they walked down a central path in the village, a ripple appeared in the air, a strange,  _ ** _evil_ ** _ , aura coating the sky. Instincts quickly kicking in, he pulled his child behind him as a strange voice echoed from the portal.  _

** _Power. Mine. Chakra… It’s all mine!_ **

_ Sakura appeared next to him, at the ready with her eyes darting between her beloveds and the portal materializing in front of them. When the voice finally manifested itself outside of the portal, there stood a pale figure, creepily similar to Kaguya Otsutsuki. The two adult shinobi knew this was bad.  _ ** _Very bad._ ** _ Sasuke urged their child to run behind their mother, grabbing his sword and flying forward to meet the strange individual in front of them.  _

_ Something went wrong.  _

_ He didn’t know what.  _

_ He didn’t see anything, but  _ ** _something_ ** _ wasn’t right.  _

_ All hell broke loose when he was brushed to the side, almost like a wind jutsu, but he didn’t see anything that could have triggered it. He flung into the side of a stall, feeling every burst of wood that smacked against his body.  _ ** _Fuck…_ ** _ As he got back up, his eyes looked over the remains of the stall’s front to his wife who was busy fighting hand to hand with the pale figure. She tossed him back, her strength helping propel them away from herself and their child.  _

_ He could see the fear in their face, watching as their mother just threw away some strange creature. Sasuke jumped back up, rushing forward to join his wife when something pulled him back. His limbs grew heavy, chakra not wanting to form in any functional way as he edged closer to the two most important people in his life.  _ ** _Fuck! What the hell is going on?_ **

_ As he just about made it to them, Sakura turned back to look at her dear husband. A grim smile crawled onto her lips, something screaming inside of him to move closer but his limbs had all but given up - no strength willing them to move any more forward then where he stood. Internally screaming, his eyes widened, taking in the sight of his wife pushing their child to him.  _

** _Take care of…_ **

_ Before she even finished her sentence, a rush of wind carried her away, flying through the portal the individual originated from. His voice cracked, no words escaping as he dropped his sword to grip their child in his arm against his chest. Painful sounds originated from the child clinging to him, cries of anguish when understanding dawned on them for what they just saw.  _

** _Sakura!!_ **

** _. . ._ **


End file.
